Grappling-hook



. J. PORTER.

GRAPPLING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1920.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

INVENTOR.

Fral c J'Parier ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. PORTER, 0F KERNAN, CALIFORNIA.

GRAPPLING-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed. May 24, 1920. Serial No. 383,618.

fornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grappling-Hooks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, references being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in grappling hooks, being particularly adapted for and intended to be used in connection with the handling of sweat-boxes such as are used to pack fruit in which is to be put through a drier. It may also be used equally well with lug-boxes, and any other containers which have no covers. a

The principal object of this invention is to provide a hook for this purpose which will firmly hold a box when the hook is raised after being contacted therewith, and which in its holding will have no tendency to pinch in the sides of the box and possibly break the same or cause the collapse thereof.

Another object is to so form the parts of the device that it may be used to engage a box more or less diagonally, so that it will not have the tendency to upset which is occasioned unless the box is engaged at exactly the center of equilibrium.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is de signed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved grappling hook, showing the same engaging a box, and mounted in connection with a derrick supported on a standard vineyai'dtruck.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the character of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a rigid and substantially horizontal beam, provided with a central eye 2 whereby it may be grasped by the hand, or connected to a raising means such as a block and tackle 3 on a derrick 4. On each end of the member 1 is a right angle horizontal extension 5, (see Fig. 1) such extensions running in opposite directions. On the ends of such extensions are downwardly projecting eyes 6, in which are flexibly fastened the hooks 7.

Each hook is similar in general outline to the letter L, having an eye 8 at the upper end fastened in with the eye 6 in the manner of chain links, anda barb 9 at the opposite end, projecting in a general direction toward the eye 8.

An arm 10 substantially parallel to the barb-arm 7 of the hook, projects toward the plane of the barb from the other arm 7 By reason of the eye connections of the hooks and so porting member, the hooks have free an practically universal movement about their points of connection.

For simplicity and cheapness of construction, the entire structure is preferably made of steel or iron rod, bent to shape, so that the member 1 and the eyes therein will be one piece, and each hook with its arm 10 another piece.

When not in use, the hooks of course hang down from the supporting beam 1, as shown in full in Fig. 2. When it is desired to conple up to a box however, the hooks are moved to a plane substantially in alinement with the beam 1, and are slipped over the top of the sides 11 of a box, in such a manner that the barbs 9 engage the outer sur face of the sides, and the arms 10 project down into the interior of the box, the space between the barbs and the arms 10 being such that the thickness of the sides may readily pass therebetween.

When the beam 1 is then lifted, the barbs will firmly engage the box, while the inner and upper edges of the sides will abut against the arms 10 adjacent the junction thereof with the arms 7 and thus the hooks cannot become disengaged as long as the weight of the box is suspended therefrom. This will be true regardless of the thinness of the sides, provided of course that such thinness does not permit the sides to bend and allow the same to slip between the barbs and the arms 10. By having the hooks oifset relative to the beam 1, the device may be better positioned to engage a box substanhavin tially on a diagonal, instead of only straight across, thus making it easier to handle boxes whose weight is unevenly distributed. From the foregoing description it will be readily seen' that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the object of the inven-' tion as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device still in practice such deviations from such detail'may be resorted to as do not form a de arture from the spirit of the-invention, as efined by the appended claims. 7

' Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A grapplinghook comprising a rigid beam adapted to be raised, and 'hook members flexibly mounted at the ends' ofthe beamand constructed to be slipped over the sides of a box .and to automatically and firmly engagesaid sides when the beam is raised. 7

2. A grappling hook comprising a rigid beam adapted to be raised, and hookmembers flexibly connected to the outer ends of the beam, such hookmembers being adapted to be slipped over the sides of a box and barbs adapted to engage, the outer surface of the sides and arms projecting V into the interior-of the box and adjacent and substantially parallel to the inner surface of the sides.

3. A grappling hook comprising a rigid beam, opposed and horizontal extensions on the ends of the beam, and hooks flexibly mounted to the outer ends of the extensions and adapted to be slipped over and engage the sides of a box.

4. A rappling hook comprising a rigid beam a a ted to be raised, and hook members flexi ly mounted at the ends of the beam, such members having barbs adapted to engage the outer surface of the sides of a'box, and arms positioned intermediate the barbed ends and the connection of said members with the beam, and adapted to project into the interior of the box to enga the inner surface of the sides when the ba are in engagement with the outer surface thereof.

5. A grappling hook comprising a rigid beam ada ted to be raised, and hook members flexibly mounted at the ends of the beam, such members each comprising inverted U-shaped arms, one end of each arm being provided with an inturned barb, and the connection with the beam being made at a point in the plane of said arms but off set from the center of equilibrium thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK J. PORTER. 

